Is it Spring time for Online/Hybrid Estate Agents and Autumn for High Street Agents?

OK, so I have used an attention grabbing title that some would say sparks ‘I disagree with annoyance’ and feelings of ‘less than amused’, intrigues others and simply passes by overhead with the remanding community… But have I simply highlighted what many are at least thinking?

Let me clear some facts first as our blogs do get good readership on Estate Agent Networking and many readers usually question us by email with interest as to where our facts come from and if we get paid by the names in the industry we showcase and highlight. No, we do not get paid by Purplebricks, eMoov or others similar, but yes we maintain a good relationship with all parties in the UK property industry which includes other property industry news channels in-fact!

If I take an overview impression, standing on the outside as a consumer, then I certainly see more and more online / hybrid estate agency boards in our home town (Colchester, Essex) and the trend of seeing these boards with for sale on is now starting to turn into seeing sold signs. Just a few years ago it would have only been very rarely seen Sarah Beeny’s Tepilo for sale board that would have stuck out…

purplebricks for sale and sold

Now of course, though the residential streets are still heavily dominated by the for sale and sold signs of our traditional high street estate agents, it is the fact that more online / hybrid signs are going up that helps to install in the minds of the consumer these brand names, confidence in using them grows no doubt and the unknown and yet to be trusted online only / hybrid option for buying and selling a home has suddenly grown in likelihood to be used.

Buying and selling products and services, and not confined to just cheap and spontaneous purchases, is gathering momentum online from takeaways to weekly food shopping, from cars to houses and this trend is growing even faster thanks to social media. Selling and buying property online is a perfect match and social media is really improving things further.

I want to sell my house and I want the best results (ie speed of sale, price achieved and commission)” is surely what every home owner looking to put their property on the market is after? “Are you on Rightmove & Zoopla?” is for sure another question asked and maybe “will you put a board up” follow close behind so if hybrid and online estate agents can tick these boxes then is there anything to stop their growth and popularity as a choice with consumers?

online vs traditional

Save over £4,000 in fees or pay for a new fleet of branded company cars?

There is no question that a traditional estate agency, especially those that have been in the region for many years with an unbeatable local knowledge and a mountain of great reviews from past exchanges will install in most people’s minds confidence and trust as well as the acceptance of paying £1,000’s in commission over £100’s – Though with a younger generation entering the scene of buying and selling property and many of those affluent in using the internet and adapting to new innovation instantly within their daily lives and importantly being used to seeing and using businesses that are newly launched such as start-ups, crowd funded projects and ones which have gone viral quickly, surely price and brand awareness will topple high street presence, branded flashy company cars and a pre year 2000 date for company formation?

I also work within the UK drinks industry and I see very similar occurring across the country with both producers of drinks and those selling the drinks. Where once the market was full of major names, let us look at gin in this instance, there are now micro-brewers starting up across the country. Yes, to many Gin means Gordons, but now eating in to their dominance are 100’s of smaller breweries across the UK selling lesser known yet higher quality gins. Champagne was once the king of sparkling wine sales in the UK and now it is Prosecco which though may not deliver the same quality in taste, is importantly considerably cheaper. People are buying more wines online, Naked Wines being a prime example of the success in this field, and they are trusting in online reviews to help them to decide which wine to purchase. Such is the fear of believing in online sales for wines that Majestic Wines, who own warehouse style shops across the UK selling wines, paid £70 million for Naked Wines. More traditional estate agencies will buy up online estate agent concepts for sure.

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Breaking Property News – 28/03/24

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   tlyfe the tenant App gets huge marketing boost from national team tour from the Openbrix team As many will know tlyfe, powered by OpenBrix, is the UK’s most innovative tenant lifecycle app, taking the stress out of the move in process and helping to…
Read More
Breaking News

Over Four Out Of Five Tenants Unaware Of The Renters Reform Bill

OVER four out of five tenants remain unaware of the Renters (Reform) Bill and its contents, according to new research. The data comes from a representative survey of over 2,000 private renters conducted by the TDS Charitable Foundation, which works to advance education about housing rights and obligations in the private rented sector. The Bill…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

What is Property Damage in a Personal Injury Case?

Property damage refers to any damage that affects things instead of a person. This might include damage to your car, house, etc. As such, it is not regarded as a personal injury case. However, when an individual is injured when the accident occurs, the affected person can file a personal injury claim. A typical example…
Read More
Love or Hate Rightmove
Breaking News

Rightmove comment on new 99% first-time buyer mortgage product

Matt Smith, Rightmove’s mortgage expert said: “It’s encouraging to see lenders continuing to try to innovate in the mortgage market, even after the government abandoned its own plans to encourage lower deposit mortgages in the Spring Budget. This new product has the potential to help some first-time buyers who fit the affordability criteria, but are struggling…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News – 27/03/24

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Coadjute ahead of the game as they are already licensed to provide digital TA6 Forms to property stakeholders This week, the Law Society announced its TA6 Form will now include Material Information as per the the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News – 26/03/24

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Sharing Success: The Guild Conference and Awards celebrate Member achievements The QEII Centre in Westminster, London, was abuzz with excitement on Friday, 22 March 2024, as The Guild of Property Professionals hosted its highly anticipated annual Guild Conference and Awards. Under the theme ‘Sharing…
Read More